Work lives and wellbeing: A survey of the UK's mental health nursing workforce

Klepacz, Naomi (2024) Work lives and wellbeing: A survey of the UK's mental health nursing workforce. HSRUK 2024, , Oxford, United Kingdom. 08 - 10 Jul 2024.

Record type: Conference or Workshop Item (Other)

Abstract

Background: there is a high demand for mental health services, and registered mental health nurses are fundamental to the delivery of these services. Yet the registered mental health nurse vacancy rate remains stubbornly high, with growth lagging behind other nursing fields. To provide mental health services effectively and safely, issues relating to the recruitment and retention of the registered mental health nursing workforce must be urgently addressed. To achieve this, we first need to engage with nurses to understand better the rewards and challenges of being part of the UK’s mental health nursing workforce by asking the question: “What modifiable workplace factors impact the quality of work life for nurses providing mental health care, and how could their work lives and wellbeing be improved?”

Aim: to identify modifiable workplace factors impacting registered mental health nurses’ experiences and wellbeing at work.

Method: an anonymous online cross-sectional survey was open for data collection between October 2023 and January 2024. Respondents were registered nurses (NMC register, any field) working in any mental health setting, including community-based home care, for any employer (i.e., NHS, independent, charity) in the UK. Invitations to participate were disseminated through research, clinical academic and practitioner networks, and social media. The survey was also advertised at NHS Trusts and nursing conferences. The survey was designed specifically for this study and covered the following areas: 1) the role of registered nurses working in mental health in the UK and the teams they work in, 2) organisational culture and context, 3) nurses’ views on care quality, 4) how nurses’ own needs are being met (personal and psychological safety), and 5) job satisfaction, wellbeing, burnout and intention to leave. Measures included: The Professional Quality of Life Scale for Health Workers (ProQOL Health), the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT-12) and the Culture of Care Barometer. The questionnaire comprised 70 questions, presented in 12 sections and took, on average, 15 minutes to complete. Development of the survey was supported by a Nurse Advisory Group and three Nurse Engagement Workshops (n=17 registered nurses). It was piloted by 21 registered mental health nurses who were not previously involved in the survey’s development.

Results: descriptive analysis will be presented, including associations between potentially modifiable workplace factors and staff wellbeing or other outcomes (e.g., intention to leave). Survey data will be presented as a profile of the mental health nursing workforce, including training and registration, job roles, employing organisations, contracts, pay and working patterns. We will present nurses’ perceptions of care quality, including clinical care left undone and staffing levels, and report on how nurses’ needs are being met as well as outcomes for job satisfaction, sickness absence, intention to leave and organisational culture, management and support. Thematic analysis of free-response questions will be discussed.

Limitations: Due to the range of mental health settings and employing organisations in which nurses work, there are limited data on the number of nurses in the UK’s mental health nursing workforce.

Implications: this study provides valuable insight into the daily rewards and challenges of mental health nursing. By understanding the modifiable workplace factors impacting nurses, we provide the evidence and recommendations necessary to develop and implement local and national workplace policies and interventions supporting nurse retention, recruitment, and wellbeing. Co-production workshops will be held with key stakeholders to identify potential solutions, actions and ‘way forward’. This study highlights priority areas for researchers, nurse leaders and policymakers.

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